Precious Time
by Paruparo
Summary: Set several years from the present. What does the future hold for each of the couples?
1. Reason, Season, Lifetime

Precious Time

Summary: Set several years from the present. What does the future hold for each of the couples?

Chapter One – Reason, Season, Lifetime

No one knows who said it, but there's a saying that goes like this: "People come for a reason, a season, or a lifetime." The saying goes on to explain itself, but I have my own interpretation.

Those people who come for a reason only stay for as long as you need them and they leave as soon as they fulfill their purpose. Those who come for a season stay for a longer time, which, during that time, seems to be able to last forever.

And yet, at the end, that time still seems so very very short because sooner or later, you're going to be left behind.

I don't know if it is fate that makes people come and go. It could be, if I were to believe in it like he did. But I believe that it is time that pulls our strings. Time gives and takes. We are all prisoners of time. Time, and with it, growth and change.

I think he came for a reason. He came into my life like a kidnapper, a hoodlum or a hijacker-- (barely legal, if you know what I mean), unbidden and definitely unwanted. Or so I thought, anyway.

Like the terrorist he was, he held me, my life and my heart for ransom-- a weird and slightly cheesy metaphor but that was how it was. And the only way to pay the ransom was to return his love.

And so, what choice did I have? I dove right in, never expecting for a moment just how profoundly he would affect me, how profoundly he would change me.

He reminded me of many things that I had forgotten. All along, I thought I had buried my heart along with Sensei in her grave by the sea. Well, I guess I was wrong.

He reminded me that my heart was still very much alive. He reminded me how it was to breathe again. And I loved him for that.

Somehow, even from the very start, I knew our time together wouldn't last forever. After all, he was so much younger than I was, and he had his whole life ahead of him.

He would still meet many new people and experience many new things. I told myself that once I saw that there was no place for me in his future, then I would step aside willingly.

And so, just as suddenly as he had arrived in my life, he also made his exit. It was not that he hated me or I hated him. It was simply his time to go.

I can't say I didn't love him then, in fact, I suppose he stopped loving me before I stopped loving him. He simply grew up and grew away from me, I guess. And I didn't plan on restricting him.

He went overseas after university and went on to study law at some posh school in who knows where. He decided he wasn't going to take literature after all. That cheeky little brat.

We weren't able to keep in touch. We were both very busy with our own lives. At least, I was _trying _to be very busy on my part.

You'd think that was the end of it. But five years after he disappeared, he reappeared again one night without warning outside my apartment door. I was stunned. All I could say was--

"You look OLD!"

He snorted in a way that I only knew too well.

"I look _older, _not _old,_" he said in a voice deeper than I remembered it to be, "And look who's talking, you old geezer!"

I laughed in spite of myself. He was taller now, and less lanky. Practically every part of him was screaming 'I am not a kid anymore!'. If he looked that mature to me, I wonder how I looked to him?

"I suppose I have no choice but to let you in," I said, grinning.

I opened the door for him and led him into the living room. He looked around with curiosity, obviously comparing the room's present state from its past.

"It's not much changed, is it?" he asked, seating himself comfortably on the sofa.

"Well, what did you expect?"

"I expected you to be married again, actually," he said without hesitation.

I massaged my temples with my fingers, "Still answering rhetorical questions, are we?"

"Still up to our usual imbecilic antics, are we?" he countered without missing a beat.

We both glared at each other for a split second. Then we burst into laughter. At least that part of himhadn't changed.

"How have you been, Shinobu?" I asked.

"You left out the '-chin' part," he pointed out.

"But it would be weird to call someone like you a pet name like Shinobu-chin. You're too old for that now. You should be called maybe Uncle Shinobu--"

"Just call me Shinobu, thanks," he interrupted, "I've been well, actually. I'm now working at a very prestigious law firm."

"With a big fat salary, most probably," I said, grinning.

"And you, how have you been?" he asked, fixing his piercing gaze on me.

"What? Okay, I guess. I'm still teaching, of course," I scratched my head, feeling a little awkward, "But hey, you can't stay long. I have a prior engagement."

"A woman, is it?" he said, and inexplicably, he seemed to perk up at this.

"As a matter of fact, it is a woman. But there's nothing between us. We're just good friends."

"Riiiight.."

"Don't start with me. I've been getting that kind of comments from everyone. It's really troublesome. She's a good person and she doesn't deserve to become fodder for the rumor mill."

He looked at me long and hard. He seemed to be looking for something. I was a little taken aback, actually.

"I know one way to stop everyone from talking behind your backs," he said, finally.

"Oh? How?" I asked, curious.

"Marry her. That way, people won't talk about you two anymore."

"Obviously, that's not the point!" I exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Think about it," he replied, totally unfazed, "After all, you seem to care about her a lot."

I looked at him for a long moment.

"Alright..." I said finally, running a hand through my hair, "But isn't it weird for you to tell your ex-lover to get married to another, and a woman at that?"

"Not really. That's what I came back for, anyway."

"What _did_ you come back for?"

"I came back to make sure you were doing okay. I was worried you'd still be all hung up over me."

"Still as arrogant as ever, huh?" I snorted.

"But really," and his face softened as he said this, "I'm glad you're doing fine."

"And you what about your love life?" I asked with a grin.

"Oh, don't you worry about that!" he said, matching my grin, "I've found someone much better than you."

"Much better than me, huh?" I repeated, a little wistfully.

We sat there, staring at each other for several minutes, neither one of us saying a word. I didn't know what he was thinking, but I was almost sure that he was also remembering the time when we were together. Looking back, despite all the misunderstandings and fights, I guess we were really happy.

And then, someone knocked on the door. Quickly, he stood up from the sofa.

"That's probably her, right?" he said, "I better get going then."

"Yeah, I guess so. Hey Shinobu--"

"What?"

"Thank you. For everything."

He looked at me and nodded, "You're very welcome. Just remember not to waste my efforts."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You should know," he replied cockily as I followed him to the door.

"Well... goodbye then," I said.

"Goodbye and good luck," he added, winking, "Oh, and remember when you said to me years ago that I was a terrorist and that I had taken your heart for ransom?"

"Er yes?" I answered, embarrassed, "But that was a joke, you know?"

"Well, now I give you back your heart. You've ransomed it back. Now go and give it to someone else."

I shook my head and said, "You always were the hopeless romantic."

"Of course," he replied, smiling that arrogant smile before stepping outside the door.

And there he went again, appearing then disappearing. I did remarry eventually, and became the insanely happy husband to my wonderful wife and soon-to-be father.

He had been right to advise me what he advised, and once again brought an unexpected measure of happiness to my life. Who knew terrorists could bring about feelings other than terror?

Now, I'm not so sure if people come only for either a reason, a season or a lifetime.

After all, he came for a reason, stayed for a season and changed a lifetime.


	2. Time Changes

Chapter Two – Time changes

At first, it hurt me. I thought that his reluctance and resistance was because he didn't want me to be near him. Then, I began to understand that it was not that he didn't love me. It was simply because of his pride.

I guess part of me had always known that it was his pride that kept him from totally surrendering himself to my love, or to anyone's love for that matter. Pride and probably fear-- fear of getting hurt. And he had known hurt before. Despite his cold exterior, he actually gets hurt quite easily. That's the kind of cute person he is.

And so I considered it a miracle when he finally agreed to be mine. I was very thankful for that, and was satisfied to just be allowed to be at his side. But the time came when that wasn't enough. I wanted to be able to stand equally with him, so that I can deserve to love him and be at his side.

It's funny-- I've always secretly thought that I was the more levelheaded between the two of us, even though I was younger. But he showed me how young I really was: how young and how very foolish.

He made me realize that it wasn't love that was pushing me to achieve more and to stand equally with him. He made me realize that it was pride.

I guess this means that we are actually both egoists.

I didn't want to be just a kid in his eyes. I wanted to be someone he would be proud of.

Looking back, I now realize that it was really just my own insecurity that drove me to achieve more. Because, although we were living together, and although I knew this meant that we loved each other, I was never really sure.

He was always shouting at me whenever I tried to say something sweet, always pelting me with books or whatever he could pick up when I kissed him or embraced him out of the blue. All of these actions, all of them caused me anxiety.

I knew that that was just the way he was, but even so-- even so I had my doubts because well, that was just the kind of person I was too.

I thought that I needed to deserve his love.

But then, in his abrupt and slightly indirect manner, he made me realize that love is not something that is deserved; it is freely given. He never told me this directly. He simply told me that no matter what, he would always wait for me. And I already understood what he truly meant.

A lot of time has passed and I am a doctor now while he is a professor. But nothing has changed between us. Our status in society hasn't made a difference. Not because our positions are not important, they are simply not as important as other things.

But as persons, we have both changed.

They say that time changes everything. Maybe so. I guess time may have changed us.

But then, I believe people change one another as well.

I for one am testament to that, as I sit here on the sofa, leaning against him, my arms around his shoulders. He absentmindedly rests his left hand upon my arm, while he holds the book he is reading with his right hand.

"Hiro-san, you don't mind?" I ask, burying my nose in his hair.

"Mind what?" he asks, without taking his eyes off his book.

"Me invading your personal space like this," I reply, wondering if he would remember that he was the one who once classified snuggling as 'invasion of personal space'.

"Oh. That's nice," he says noncommittally.

"Hiro-san, are you even listening?"

"Look, Nowaki, what are you talking about anyway? Don't you always insist on putting your arms around me like this?"

He raises his left hand and I flinch, getting ready to be hit. Instead, all he does is pat me on the head.

"Be quiet, will you? I'm trying to read," he says.

I'm glad Hiro-san can't see the stupid grin on my face right now.

"You've changed, Hiro-san," I say quietly.

"Everybody changes."

"Yes but you've really changed a lot. Before, you used to hit me with a book whenever I tried to embrace you."

"You _want _me to hit you?"

"If it makes you happy, Hiro-san," I say, grinning.

At this, he cranes his neck and looks at me with eyebrows furrowed, "I really should hit you for that, Nowaki."

Then he sighs and adds, "But I won't hit you."

"Why not?" I ask, surprised.

"I'm too old for that stuff. I haven't got the energy."

"I don't think that's the case, Hiro-san," I say happily, "I think all these years have mellowed you."

"Idiot, it's not the years that have mellowed me," he replies irritably and disengages my arms from his shoulders, "You make me sound old too."

"Then what has mellowed you, Hiro-san?"

"_You_ have mellowed me."

His words stun me and I am left speechless.

He places his hand on my cheek slowly, a serious look in his eyes.

Then, he slaps me with all his might.

"You've turned me into this blubbering softie!" he shouts irritably, turning into a familiar shade of red.

I laugh, covering my reddening cheek with my palm, "And so I have. But you're still the cute Hiro-san that I know so well."

I think I know now how people can stay in love with one another for a long period of time. It's because people continually change, and we fall in love with them all over again.

This mellow person that he has become is very different from the person I first fell in love with. But in the beginning when I swore to love that person, I also swore to love the changing nuances of his character.

Yes, I talk like a blubbering softie, and I may have infected him with it, but I am very happy to have met and to have been able to change him.

Then again, there is something about him that never changes-- something that remains uniquely him.

They say that time changes everything. But there are some things time can never change. And I never want them to change.


End file.
